Oil clarifier



Sept. 17, 1.935; D. H. MILLER OIL CLARIFIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 24, 1933 I 11v VENTOR OOIVALD H. MILLEI? A TTORN y Sept. 17, 1935. I D. H. MILLER I 2,014,445

OIL CLARIFIER Filed March 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 W" 'i'l R xx? v INVENTORJ' DONALD H M/LLER mw m A TTORNEV' Patented Sept. 17, 1935 PATENT orrice OIL CLARIFIER Donald H. Miller, Dayton, Ohio Application March 24, 1933, Serial No. 662,424

' 5 Claims.

This invention relates to oil clarifiers and is particularly adapted for use in clarifying the oil circulated as a lubricant in the type of internal combustion engine employed for automotive purposes.

The conventional method followed in automotive practice comprises filtering, or, more properly, straining the oil, each time it is circulated through the lubricating system of the engine,

through a fine mesh screen, or through a piece 'of fibrous woven fabric, or acombination of both screen and fabric or felt.

As is well known these filters of common practice do not remove carbon particles or other fine destructive dirt from-theoil, with the result that each time it is circulated through the lubricating system it collects and retains additional foreign matter so that in a comparatively short time it is unfit for further use.

It .is therefore the object of this invention to provide an 01 clarifier different and superior to the filters and screens now; commercially available, said clarifier comprising a special appliance which introduces the used and dirt laden oil into the presence of a highly adsorptive material having a particular afilnity for the foreign matter which is known to be normally in commercial engine oils, or which is collected during its circulation through the lubricating system of the conventional automotive engine.

I'attain theforegoing object in the manner and with the means hereinafter described, reference being had to the drawings wherein- Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the device which I employ to put my invention into practice.

Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of the application of my device to an internal combustion automotive engine.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to Fig. 1, an outer casing generally designated by the numeral 8 comprises an outer cylinder III which has a bottom I! crimped pressure tight to; the cylinder at its outer edge l4. The bottom l2 has an upwardly formed ledge l6 extending around its periphery at the inside of the cylinderifl.

The upper edge 'of the cylinder II) has threads 20 pressed around its outer circumference. The extreme upper edge is formed inwardly to provide a flat rim'22 upon which a gasket 24 may rest. A lid 26 has pressed threads correspondingto the threads 20 of the cylinder I 8. These threads are preferably multiple rather than single in order that the lid may be more quickly applied or removed. The lid 26 may preferably be knurled at its outer edge 28 whereby it may be more firmly grasped when it is put on'or removed.

In the center of the bottom I! a fitting 3D is secured and a flanged metal tube 32 is held to the end of the fitting by the hexagon nut 34. A similar fittng 36 is secured in an oif center position of the bottom It and a second metal tube 38 is held to the end of the fitting 36 by the nut 40.

The cartridge generally designated by the nu-- meral 4| contains the adsorptive material through which the used oil is made to percolate in its process of filtration.

Cartridge comprises a cylindrical shell 42 having a bottom closure 44 crimped to the shell at the outer rim at 46. The closure 44 has a plurality of perforations 48. The upper end of the cartridge has a top closure 50 which is crimped in the same manner at the outer rim at 52. The top closure 50 is not perforated;

A tube 54 extends through the center of the bottom closure 44 and passes upwardly to near the top closure 50. The tube 54 is flanged at the end 56 to provide a more rigid connection to the closure to which it may be soldered or welded or otherwise secured. The lower end of the tube 54 is internally threaded at 58.

The fitting is shouldered at 50 and immediately above the shoulder it is externally threaded to correspond to the threads 58 of the tube 54. A pilot portion 62 extends upwardly and is fitted freely into the inside of the tube '54.

When a. cartridge 4| is placed in the casing 8 the pilot 62 guides the tube 54 so that the threads 58 of the tube will readily start over the corresponding threads of the fitting 30. Wings 63 are soldered. or otherwise .secured to the top closure 50 tofiacilitate screwing the cartridge II in place. The wings 63 also provide means whereby the cartridge may be grasped in removing it.

The cartridge 4| contains the adsorptive ma. terial through which the used oil is filtered. In the present embodiment of the invention it is contemplated that the cartridge be filled and that the closures then be permanently attached, and when renewal of the contents is required an entire new'filled cartridge is supplied.

It has been found ,that a suitable adsorptive material for the device may comprise any of the vegetable, animal or mineral carbons, in

Y powdered or granular form, preferably activated 5 to increase its adsorptive capacity. Either of these materials are highly porous and therefore present an almost incalculable total adsorbing surface to the oil as it passes therethrough.

In filling the cartridge with either of these materials a layer of fabric 8,4 is first laid in the bottom of the cartridge, then a layer 65 of waste, which may be cotton or other fibrous material. Adsorptive material 66 is then filled in to within a short distance of the top. A second layer 68 of the same fibrous material as was placed near the bottom is now covered over the top, and the top closure ill is fastened in place. The layer '4 of fabric effectively-prevents any of the granular or powdered material from being lost by passing out through the perforations ll.

By reference to Fig. 2 the general scheme of application and operation of the device will be evident. The engine III has the usual sump l2 and oil pump 14 driven by the shaft IS. The oil flows into the pump at I8 and out at N and through the pipe 82 to the parts to be lubricated. A second pipe 84 connects the outlet 80 to the central inlet of the clarifier 88 through the pressure operated valve 8' and pipe 32.-

When the pressure reaches a determined value in the pipe 82 any increase in the pressure causes the oil to fiow through the valve VIII! and pipe 32 upwardly through the tube 54 out 'at the top of the tube and then through the waste bed 68, then downward through the adsorptive material 66, through the waste bed 65, then the fabric layer 6|, out of the perforations 48, into the receiving space 90 and out through the pipe 38 back to the sump 12.

It will of course be understood that the circuit which the 011 takes through the clarifier is arbitrarily selected, inasmuch as all of the oil may be made to pass through the clarifier before any is pumped to the bearings.

Some of the advantages of the improved device may be stated as follows:

When oil enters the inlet 32 and passes upwardly through the central tube 54 of the clarifier the waste bed SI first mechanically strains out any coarse particles which may be present in the oil. The oil next percolates through the adsorptive. material and in doing so comes in contact with the vast combined area of the inside of the multitudinous pores. Inasmuch as these areas of the materials used have a particular amnity for free fatty acids occurring normally in lubricating oil and acids formed by the operation of the motor, these acids are removed by being adsorbed to the surfaces of the pores. Other foreign matter, such as carbon, dirt and other solids which are fine enough to have passed through the waste bed to are adsorbed to the pore areas in the same manner.

' By consideration of the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved device herein disclosed not only strains out undesirable particles of considerable size as do the filters now in commercial use, but it actually attracts and retains an infinite number of foreign particles so small that they passwith perfect freedom through any strainer that may be provided. 10

In this way thelubricating oil of the automotive engine is kept clean'and fit for use for many times the length of time the same oil is now being used with ordinary so called filters.

Having described an embodiment of the in- 15 vention wherein the objects set forth are attained,

I claim- 1. An oil clarifier comprising a vertically disposed cartridge having a perforated bottom end, 20

- casing surrounding and enclosing said cartridge and means to hold the perforated bottom of said cartridge spaced apart from said casing.

4. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the lower end of the tube is internally threaded 35 and a casing surrounds and encloses said cartridge, and-means holding the bottoms of said cartridge and casing spaced, comprising a pipe fitting extending into the bottom of said casing and upwardly into said casing and having a 40 shoulder, and a threaded portion above said shoulder screwed into the said internally threaded tube. A

5. The combination with an engine, of bearing oiling mechanism comprising means containing 45 an oil sump, a pressure pump, means to convey oil from the sump to the pump inlet, means to convey oil under pressure from the pump outlet to the bearings, an oil filter, a pipe to convey oil under pressure from the pump outlet to the 50 filter, means to convey oil from the'filter back to the sump, and a pressure operated valve in said pipe operable to-be opened only to convey oil to said filter after the pressure on said bearings reaches a predetermined value.

DONALD H. IMILLER. 

